Miller County, Missouri

thumb|[[John Miller (Missouri politician)|John Miller, the county's namesake]]

Miller County is a county located in the northern Ozarks region of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 24,722. Its county seat is Tuscumbia. The county was organized February 6, 1837, and named for John Miller, former U.S. Representative and Governor of Missouri.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.2%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Moniteau County (north)
Cole County (northeast)
Osage County (northeast)
Maries County (east)
Pulaski County (south)
Camden County (southwest)
Morgan County (west)

Major highways

20px U.S. Route 54
20px Route 17
20px Route 42
20px Route 52
20px Route 87
20px Route 134
20px Route 242

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 24,722. The median age was 41.3 years. 23.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.9 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 93.4% White, 0.5% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.5% from some other race, and 4.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.9% of the population.

23.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 76.5% lived in rural areas.

There were 9,867 households in the county, of which 29.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them and 23.3% had a female householder with no spouse or partner present. About 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|18,301

|20,469

|22,934

|23,762

|style='background: #ffffe6; |22,908

|98.75%

|98.88%

|97.33%

|96.02%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |92.66%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|23

|63

|95

|style='background: #ffffe6; |117

|0.04%

|0.11%

|0.27%

|0.38%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.47%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|67

|83

|100

|123

|style='background: #ffffe6; |113

|0.36%

|0.40%

|0.42%

|0.50%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.46%

|Asian alone (NH)

|25

|21

|27

|69

|style='background: #ffffe6; |64

|0.13%

|0.10%

|0.11%

|0.28%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.26%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|36

|style='background: #ffffe6; |24

|0.02%

|0.15%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.10%

|Other race alone (NH)

|14

|15

|style='background: #ffffe6; |45

|0.08%

|0.01%

|0.06%

|0.02%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.18%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|189

|316

|style='background: #ffffe6; |985

|0.80%

|1.28%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3.98%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|117

|101

|231

|343

|style='background: #ffffe6; |466

|0.63%

|0.49%

|0.98%

|1.39%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.88%

|Total

|18,532

|20,700

|23,564

|24,748

|style='background: #ffffe6; |24,722

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 23,564 people, 9,284 households, and 6,443 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 11,263 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 97.99% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.29% from other races, and 0.84% from two or more races. Approximately 0.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,284 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.30% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 27.40% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 15.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,977, and the median income for a family was $36,770. Males had a median income of $26,225 versus $18,903 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,144. About 10.80% of families and 14.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.30% of those under age 18 and 14.70% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public schools

Eldon R-I School District – Eldon
South Elementary School (PK-03)
Eldon Upper Elementary School (04-06)
Eldon Middle School (07-08)
Eldon High School (09-12)
Iberia R-V School District – Iberia
Iberia Elementary School (PK-06)
Iberia High School (07-12)
Miller County R-III School District – Tuscumbia
Miller County Elementary School (K-08)
Tuscumbia High School (09-12)
School of the Osage – Lake Ozark
Leland O. Mills Elementary School (PK-02)
Osage Upper Elementary School (03-05)
Osage Middle School (06-08)
Osage High School (09-12)
St. Elizabeth R-IV School District – St. Elizabeth
St. Elizabeth Elementary School (K-06)
St. Elizabeth High School (07-12)

Private schools

Lakeview Christian Academy – Lake Ozark (K-10) – Nondenominational Christian
Our Lady of the Snows School – Eugene (K-08) – Roman Catholic
Eldon Montessori Children's House – Eldon (PK-K) – Nonsectarian
The King's Academy - Christ the King Lutheran School – Lake Ozark (Preschool-8) – Lutheran

Public libraries

Heartland Regional Library System

Communities

Cities and towns

Bagnell
Brumley
Eldon (largest city)
Iberia
Lake Ozark
Lakeside
Olean
Osage Beach
St. Elizabeth
Tuscumbia (county seat)

Census-designated place

Aurora Springs

Unincorporated communities

Atwell
Brays
Capps
Etterville
Faith
Hoecker
Kaiser
Keethtown
Marys Home
Pleasant Mount
Rocky Mount
Saint Anthony
Spring Garden
Ulman
Watkins
West Aurora

Government and politics

Political culture

Like most counties in rural western Missouri, Miller County is very Republican. It hasn't supported a Democrat for president since Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932. The only other time it supported a Democrat in the 20th century was in 1912, when Woodrow Wilson carried the county against a mortally divided GOP. Lyndon Johnson is the last Democrat to garner even 40 percent of the county's vote.

Underlining how Republican the county has been over the years, it rejected native son Harry Truman in 1944 as Roosevelt's running mate, and when he headed the ticket himself in 1948.

Local

The Republican Party completely controls politics at the local level in Miller County. Republicans currently hold all of the elected positions in the county.

State

Gubernatorial

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; font-size:95%;"

|+ Past Gubernatorial Elections Results

|- bgcolor=lightgrey

! Year

! Republican

! Democratic

! Third Parties

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|2024

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|82.84% 10,638

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|14.76% 1,893

|align="center" |2.40% 308

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|2020

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|82.82% 10,212

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|15.31% 1,888

|align="center" |1.87% 231

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|2016

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|69.65% 7,924

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|27.37% 3,114

|align="center" |2.98% 339

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|2012

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|59.85% 6,547

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|36.67% 4,012

|align="center" |3.48% 381

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|2008

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|55.86% 6,414

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|42.31% 4,858

|align="center" |1.84% 211

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|2004

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|67.76% 7,331

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|31.15% 3,370

|align="center" |1.09% 118

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|2000

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|57.12% 5,343

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|39.38% 3,684

|align="center" |3.50% 327

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|1996

|align="center" bgcolor="#fff3f3"|45.28% 3,984

|align="center" bgcolor="#f0f0ff"|51.76% 4,554

|align="center" |2.97% 261

Missouri House of Representatives

Miller County is divided into four legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all of which are represented by Republicans.

District 58 — David Wood (R-Versailles). Consists of the city of Eldon.

District 59 — Mike Bernskoetter (R-Jefferson City). Consists of the community of Olean.

Missouri presidential preference primary (2008)

Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) received more votes, a total of 1,406, than any candidate from either party in Miller County during the 2008 presidential primary.

References

External links

Digitized 1930 Plat Book of Miller County from University of Missouri Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books